Prometheus
by Lyralocke
Summary: Why did Wan Shi Tong settle down in a desert? Why did Tui and La decide to live outside the Spirit World? Who was the first Avatar? Follow a young Knowledge Spirit as he finds love and swiftly loses it for incredibly complicated reasons.
1. Chapter 1

_Lyra, what are you doing? You haven't even finished Parlor Tricks yet, why the hell are you starting a new story?_

_Well I'll tell you why. It's actually making me write more. I KNOW RIGHT._

_So this isn't Kataang. But it is Avatar. IN THE PAST. It's about Wan Shi Tong before he left the Spirit World, Tui and La before they became fish, the world before the Avatar, and a pretty lil thang called the Sun Spirit._

_It definitely won't be as long as Parlor Tricks. Like not even close. But it'll be different yet still full of Lyralocke fluff. Just awkward spirit fluff. HA._

_Disclaimer: don't own Avatar_

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CHAPTER 1

The other spirits had always thought Wan Shi Tong was a bit weird. Even for a lesser spirit, he just never seemed to fit in.

Unlike the rest of the spirits, he spent all of his time watching the physical world, fascinated by the growing civilization of mortals. He wrote down everything he saw and soon had so much information, he created a library, the first library, in the Spirit World to hold all of his findings.

This was no surprise to most of the spirits, as Wan Shi Tong was the spirit of knowledge. He had such passion for learning, he began to write down everything about the Spirit World as well. His library grew and grew with his knowledge, and every day the mortals below became more advanced. Their civilization became greater, and soon the rest of the spirits found them quite interesting as well.

The mortals knew of the spirits, and worshipped them for all they had been given. The spirits responded in kind, keeping the world balanced and beautiful so their new civilization flourished.

Wan Shi Tong didn't mind that the other spirits were now so invested in the very thing they had criticized him for. He was proud of the mortals, the humans as they were called, for coming so far. And he was grateful to them for letting him chronicle their lives in his library.

He wanted to know more. So he did something no other spirit had ever done. He left the Spirit World and took on a human form to walk among the mortals, to teach and to learn from them.

When he returned, the greater spirits reprimanded him for his foolishness. When he walked the earth, he was mortal. He could be killed. But Wan Shi Tong would hear none of it. He believed in the humans, in their infinite potential, and he would continue to do as he pleased.

Nobody stopped him, writing him off as a fool. But one young spirit heard him. She listened, and for the first time, she wanted to learn more.

That was the first time anyone had set foot in Wan Shi Tong's library.

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Wan Shi Tong scribbled furiously on a sheaf of paper, delighting in his human fingers as he recorded the leaps and bounds a certain tribe had made today. He spent most of his time in his human form now, rather than his spiritual form of the owl. It was so much more fun, and easier to write without all those feathers.

He looked up in surprise. He heard a sound. In his library. He frowned, confused. Nobody had ever come to his library before. He listened a moment longer before shrugging. Perhaps he was hearing things.

But then he heard it again. A distant echo. He got to his feet and peered from behind the shelf he was occupying. His eyes widened in surprise. The doors were open. He couldn't help but feel a thrill of curiosity. Nothing like this had ever happened before. He looked around grinning.

This is a very large place, he mused to himself. I must find this spirit.

So he listened, and the sounds of rustling parchment drew him deep into the stacks. As he drew nearer, he noticed the light was changing. Something was glowing nearby. He looked around one final bookshelf.

And he saw her.

A beautiful spirit was standing at a shelf just yards away from him, reading from a scroll. But it wasn't just that. She was in a human form, just like him. And she was glowing.

Wan Shi Tong recognized her with some astonishment.

Sol, the Sun Spirit.

He blushed nervously. The Sun Spirit, here? She was a greater spirit, not like him. He didn't even know if he should talk to her. He sneezed nervously and she turned to look at him. He froze. But then she smiled at him and he felt like he would melt into a puddle.

"Oh, there you are!" she exclaimed, moving toward him with the scroll in hand. "You're Wan Shi Tong, the Knowledge Spirit."

It wasn't a question, but he nodded mutely anyway. She grinned and bowed politely.

"We've never been formally introduced. I'm Sol, the-"

"Sun Spirit, yeah, of course I know who you are," he blurted, blushing again in embarrassment.

She laughed lightly. "Of course. You know everything, don't you?" she asked, and he was surprised by the genuine curiosity in her eyes.

"Um… well… not everything," he stammered, scratching the back of his neck. "Just… a lot." She nodded thoughtfully and he couldn't stop himself from speaking again. "You… you're in a human form. Like me. I've never… I mean… no other spirit has ever uh…"

"I saw you in your human form once," she saved him from his verbal floundering with an excited smile. "When the other spirits had you on trial for walking the earth. I…" This time, it was her turn to blush, and she began glowing a bit brighter. "I didn't know we could do that. And I watch them too, sometimes. They're just… just so…"

She struggled to find the right word, unaware that Wan was staring at her in disbelief.

"Fascinating," he finished for her. She snapped her fingers.

"Yes, that's it, fascinating," she said triumphantly. Then her attention was drawn to her fingertips. "Wow, did you see that?" She snapped again and grinned. "I like this body. This was a good idea." She looked up at him. "You're a genius!"

Wan just stared. He felt like his breath had left him. "I've never met someone like you before," he said quietly without thinking. She stopped snapping her fingers and looked up at him again. He blushed and cleared his throat, which made her laugh.

"I've never met someone like you before either," she said just as quietly. She began to glow a little brighter when he smiled at her.

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"It's incredible. Their bodies are mortal, but their spirits are as strong as any of us."

"Wow… I can't imagine…"

Wan chattered away happily as he and Sol left his library. She had been visiting him every day for months now, and he always accompanied her all the way back to her home up in the clouds even though he didn't have to. She had never met someone so sweet and caring, and she wondered at this feeling that overcame her whenever he was near. They walked slowly down the long mountain path from the library, Wan speaking animatedly with his hands.

"You should come with me next time," he said quietly, glancing at her. She sighed a bit and looked at her feet. This wasn't the first time he had asked her.

"Wan… you know I can't…" she began.

"Have I told you about the nomads?" he asked abruptly.

She smiled fondly. He always did this when he was nervous. He changed the subject as quickly as he could without looking back. He was the quirkiest spirit she had ever met, and it fascinated her to no end.

"Yes, but you can tell me again," she replied, smiling at him. He blushed a bit and hurried on.

"They worship the Wind Spirit, Vayu, and he just can't get enough of them. Their spirits aren't like any of the other tribes, they meditate and they travel the world, it's like nothing I've ever seen. Vayu hasn't visited them yet, but I think he wants to."

Sol frowned at this, and Wan slowed to a stop.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked nervously. She glanced at him with a smile.

"No, Wan, of course not," she said earnestly. "I could… I could listen to you forever," she continued very quietly, glowing brighter and focusing demurely on her feet. "I'm just worried about my sister…"

"La? Why, did something happen to her?" he asked, alarmed.

"No, well not really," she sighed. "You know she and Tui are in love, right?"

He grinned at her. "Of course, I know everything, don't I?" She laughed at his teasing and nudged him with her shoulder.

"They've been running off to the physical world together in secret," she said in a rush. "To visit the tribes in the north and south that you talk about, the ones that live in the snow." He nodded his understanding. "I'm worried Shangdi will find out."

Wan frowned distastefully at the mention of Shangdi. He was their ruler, the spirit above all spirits, and he had made it quite clear to Wan that he disapproved of spirits walking the earth. He was the reason Sol was afraid to accompany him on his journeys.

"Don't worry about him," Wan said gently. "What's the worst he can do?"

"That's the thing," Sol sighed, running a distressed hand through her hair in a way that made Wan's eyes go wide with curiosity. "I don't know the worst he can do. He's never actually punished anyone before, just threatened to." She sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to unload all of this on you, but-"

She stopped abruptly, eyes wide, when Wan reached forward and ran a hand gently through her hair. She swallowed hard, trying not to blush and failing as her faint glowing light intensified. Wan didn't seem to notice, because he did it again. She managed to catch his hand before he did it a third time.

"What are you doing?" she asked, bewildered.

He looked at her, eyes bright with discovery. "I didn't know you could do that!" he exclaimed. "My hair isn't long like yours, I can't… do that." He glanced back down at her to find her smiling fondly at him. "Oh, I did it again didn't I?"

She laughed and laced her fingers through his. "Yes, you did," she said quietly. They resumed walking, this time in silence. Wan had a habit of getting immensely distracted by his human form as well as Sol's. He was embarrassed, but Sol found it adorable. They had only discovered this holding hands thing a few weeks ago from watching a nomad man and woman walking together far below. Human affection and intimacy was still new to them, and they had yet to fully perfect the art of the hug.

The thing about the human form that most fascinated them both was how much they felt. Everything felt different on human skin. And the touch of another human… that was something they couldn't get used to. It was thrilling, holding hands. Wan was born an owl, Sol a fox. They couldn't touch like this in their true forms. Tui and La had found human form gratifying as well, as koi fish couldn't kiss.

Sol had seen her sister kiss Tui, the Ocean Spirit, only a few times. They had learned it from the people of the southern tribe. It was how the humans expressed a special sort of affection, love. She had never shared this with Wan, and she wondered if he knew about it. She licked her lips in a distracted way as she pondered this. Her lips were so soft and sensitive… she couldn't imagine someone else touching them. She glowed brightly at the thought and Wan glanced at her.

"You okay?" he asked with a smile.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," she began. "It's just… this human form, it can be so distracting."

"Tell me about it," he sighed. "I can't keep my eyes off you."

She looked up at him and he froze in horror. She laughed, delighted.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I shouldn't have-" he stammered. She squeezed his hand and he stopped.

"It's okay," she giggled, tilting her head to the side a bit as she looked at him. "I watch you too, you know."

"Really?"

She laughed again at the genuine surprise in his voice. "Of course. There's only so much I can learn from myself. We walk differently, and we move differently, and you have all these little quirks."

"I do?"

She stopped again and turned to face him. "We're different, you and me," she said quietly.

Wan's face fell at this. She frowned, worried she had done something wrong. He scratched the back of his neck, a gesture that she had learned meant he was bashful.

"Yeah, we are," he sighed. "I mean… I'm just the Knowledge Spirit. I'm not important, not like you."

Her eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh, no, Wan, that's not what I meant," she said, regret in her voice. But he still wouldn't look at her, so she took his face in her hands and forced his eyes to meet hers. They stared at each other for a long moment before her curiosity got the best of her. She brushed her thumbs against his high cheekbones, biting back a grin when the skin burned beneath her touch.

"Your face… it feels different from your hands," she noted quietly. He closed his eyes and shivered, and she quickly drew back from him. "What, did I hurt you?"

"No," he laughed a bit. "I didn't mean to shake like that, I just couldn't help it. It was a weird sensation, I've never felt it before."

New sensations fascinated Sol. Her eyes widened and she smiled eagerly. "What was it like? Did it feel good?"

He shrugged, a look of intense thought on his face. "It was like… awareness," he said thoughtfully. "Like my body was telling me that you were really close. I don't know how to describe it."

"Oh man, I want to feel it too!" she burst out in excitement. Wan smiled, reminded forcefully of the day they met. "All these feelings, they're just so unusual!"

"Okay, here," Wan said with a laugh, taking her face in his hands and stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. She blushed, glowing brightly, and placed a hand on her stomach.

"What happened?" he asked, dropping his hands to his sides.

"My stomach feels funny," she said, confused. "Like it's full of butterflies."

"Gross."

She laughed, and her laugh always made him laugh, so the two of them resumed walking, hand in hand, laughing.


	2. Chapter 2

_So I spend the whole day vomiting. Then I can't fall asleep all night. Probably not good for my health, but I banged out a new chapter of Parlor Tricks and two chapters of Prometheus in that time. God I feel like crap. On that happy not, here's some Avatar!_

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CHAPTER 2

"Wan? Wan where are you? I need you!"

Wan poked his head out from behind a shelf, alarmed. Sol had just come running into his library, and she sounded upset. He hastened toward the door.

"I'm here, I'm right here," he said quickly. She turned and looked at him, and he was surprised by what he saw. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks red, and there was water running from her eyes. "Sol…"

She immediately stepped toward him, much closer than usual, and buried her face in his chest. He stood there stiffly, not sure what to do, as she made strange noises as if she was having trouble breathing. He was trying to think where he'd seen this before…

Then he remembered the humans who lived on the island in the far west. He'd seen a few of them do this when they were upset. It was called crying. Sol was sad, or angry, or something along those lines, so he had to comfort her somehow. He hesitated, then awkwardly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She sobbed and balled her hands into fists, wrinkling his robes, but he didn't mind. This hugging thing, they'd never gotten it right, but this felt good.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

"Shangdi caught them," she cried, her voice muffled in the fabric of his robes. "He found out Tui and La were going to the physical world. They were teaching the humans something, how they pushed and pulled against each other, and the humans learned how to bend the water." Wan's eyes widened in surprise. So that was what he'd seen the people in the northern and southern tribes doing. They had learned to control the water. "And Shangdi… he banished them."

"What?"

"He banished Tui and La to the physical world. They can never come back home, Wan. I don't know what to do…"

Her words dissolved into tears, and he held her a little closer. Nobody had ever been banished before. Sure, Shangdi reprimanded a spirit on occasion, but he had never done something like this.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye…"

Wan felt a strange stinging in his eyes. He wondered if he was starting to cry as well. Sol loved her sister dearly, they were so close. Now she could never see her again, unless…

"Come with me," Wan said suddenly. Sol sniffed and looked up at him. "The next time I go to the physical world. Come with me, we can visit your sister."

She shook her head. "Wan…"

"I don't understand," he burst out suddenly. She stepped away from him, surprised. "Why won't you come with me?"

"Because I'm scared," she replied angrily.

"Scared of what? Scared of Shangdi?"

"No!" she shouted. "We're mortal down there, Wan! Don't you understand that? I'm scared one of us will die!"

Wan hadn't been expecting this. All the anger left him, and he just stood there, feeling stupid. Sol stepped back from him again, wiping her eyes on the heel of her hand.

"What would I do if you got killed, Wan?" she asked, glaring at him. "Or what if I got killed? I'd have to leave you forever. I couldn't bear that." She wiped her eyes again, roughly this time, and looked at the ground. "I couldn't stand it, being without you."

"Sol…"

"I hate it when you go down there," she cut him off. "And I hate that I hate it, because I know you love it so much. I worry while you're gone, and I watch to make sure you're okay, and I'm so scared. You're all I have now, I can't lose you."

Wan's eyes were stinging again. "I never… I never knew, Sol," he said quietly. "I'm so sorry, I never meant to make you feel this way."

"I love you."

Wan blinked several times. He was hearing things. That had to be it.

"What?" he asked with some difficulty, as it felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs.

She was gazing at him, biting her lower lip, tears sparkling in her eyes. "I love you, Wan," she repeated quietly, her cheeks turning red and her glow intensifying. "I've wondered what this feeling is, when I'm with you. And I finally figured it out."

"But…" Wan stammered. "But I'm just me, I'm just the Knowledge Spirit. I'm not a greater spirit like you."

"I don't care," Sol replied gently, stepping toward him. He swallowed hard. "I've never cared about that. You know that." She hesitantly wrapped her arms around his torso and laid her head on his chest again. He stood frozen, shocked.

"What about you?" she whispered. "What do you feel, Wan?"

He couldn't believe she even had to ask. It took a bit for his brain to catch up to him.

"I love you so much," he said quietly, enfolding her in a warm embrace. She glowed so bright he had to close his eyes.

"Wan?" she said, very quietly, after a long silence.

"Hm?"

She pulled back from him for a moment, looking up into his face. "I want to try something."

Wan's curiosity was piqued. "Okay," he said with an eager smile.

Sol bit her lip for a moment, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him thoughtfully. "Close your eyes," she whispered. He did so instantly. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned up on her toes. She hesitated a moment, unsure of how to proceed. And still, Wan just stood there with eyes closed obediently, his hands folded behind his back and a small smile on his face. Her heart fluttered. So this was love.

She smiled faintly and leaned forward, pressing her lips gently to his. His eyes snapped open in surprise when she pulled away from him. He blinked several times.

"What an odd feeling," he whispered.

She grinned at him, cheeks flushed. "I liked it," she said, excited.

"Me too," he replied, blushing and smiling back.

"Want to try again?"

"Absolutely."

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The two of them sat together on the floor of the library hours later, leaning against a bookshelf near the entrance. Sol rested her head on Wan's shoulder, and he had an arm wrapped around her waist. They had been speaking quietly for a long time, trying to untangle Sol's predicament to no avail.

"I can't help it, Wan," she sighed. "I'm so worried about her. She could… she could die down there."

Wan was quiet for a bit, thinking hard. "I'll go visit her," he said quietly. Sol glanced sharply at him. "I'll be careful, I promise. But maybe if I speak to her, it will clear up some things."

Sol sighed heavily. "Only if you promise to be careful," she acquiesced, sounding as though it was against her better judgment.

He smiled gently and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back before you know it."

Just like that, he faded away, and she was left alone in his silent library.

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Down below, Wan Shi Tong faded into existence, only to find himself up to his ankles in snow. He looked around slowly. It was the early morning at the North Pole. The people had begun building a city since learning to bend the water, and it was slowly rising out of the flat sheet of ice beside the sea. So far it consisted of a few low buildings built around a canal and surrounded by walls, all created from sculpted snow and ice. Overseeing the creation of the walls were two familiar faces.

"La, Tui! Over here!" Wan called, waving as he jogged toward them. He smiled when Tui and La turned to see him.

Tui, the Ocean Spirit, was tall and proud. He had broad shoulders and dark skin, and his eyes were wild. He was untamed, impetuous, completely unpredictable. He could be calm at one moment and furious the next. But through all his temper, he never turned it on the spirit standing beside him.

La looked a great deal like her sister. They had the same delicate features and beautiful smile, the same dark, sparkling eyes. But La was quiet and serene where Sol burned with passion. Her long hair was silvery white where Sol's was black. And most of all, La seemed happy while Sol cried for her in the Spirit World.

Tui stepped forward and embraced him like a brother, which left Wan a bit shocked.

"Wan Shi Tong, the Knowledge Spirit!" he boomed, his voice deep and full of good humor. "It has been some time since I've seen you. What brings you here?"

Wan smiled sadly and turned to La. He had the feeling she already knew why he was there.

"I didn't get a chance to say goodbye," La said quietly, her voice low and calm. "Sol is strong and she burns bright, but she is broken easily by things close to her heart."

"She's afraid for you," Wan admitted. "As long as you dwell here, you can be killed."

"Not if I can help it," Tui cut in with a frown. "You think I would let anything happen to her, Wan?"

"No, no, it's not that," Wan stammered, sensing the Ocean Spirit getting angry. The waves began lapping loudly at the shore.

La just smiled and put a gentle hand on Tui's arm. He visibly calmed in seconds.

"I understand her concern," she said quietly. "And I wish more than anything I could have said goodbye to her. But tell her I am happy, would you? And Tui would never let any harm come to me, nor would I let any come to him. I'm afraid that's all I can give you."

"She just wishes you to take care," he said, sadness coloring his voice. "I tried to convince her to come visit you, but…"

"Ah, she's afraid," La sighed. "Don't you force her, Wan." A warning tone entered her voice. "Don't tell her I wished she would come. That's her choice. I wouldn't want Shangdi to banish her too."

Wan started stammering again. "I would never, I mean, you don't have to worry about-"

La held up a hand to stop him. She smiled. "I know, I just want to make sure you understand," she sighed again. "She would talk about you all the time, you know."

Wan smiled a bit. "Yeah?"

La nodded and Tui laughed a bit. "We never heard the end of it. We probably know more about you than you do," he said, grinning.

"She's not like anyone else," Wan replied, unable to stop his smile from growing. "She loves learning and understanding as much as I do. None of the other spirits are like her."

"Well I'm glad you see that," La said, moving forward to embrace him. Wan stiffened in surprise again. "Now get back up there. I worry about her when she's left alone too long."

Wan sighed and smiled. "Thank you," he said, bowing. Without another word, he vanished.

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It was weeks before Sol started glowing again. The world below was plagued with rain and snow every night when Wan wasn't there to keep her company. He had given her the message from her sister, but it had done little to allay her fears.

Wan tried to keep her busy, taking her on walks through the newest parts of his library. He even created a calendar that took up a whole room just for her, which managed to distract her for a few days. She spent hours moving the large stone dials and pulling the lever to show the position of the sun and the moon through the progression of the years.

The two of them ended up sitting on the floor, leaning against the stone dial in the center and gazing up at the starry ceiling.

"I wish there was something I could do," Wan said quietly. Sol was sitting between his legs and leaning against his chest, glowing faintly. Her hands rested on his, which were wrapped around her waist.

"You've done so much already, Wan," Sol whispered, a smile on her face. "Don't forget that. I'm so grateful."

Wan sighed. "I'm glad."

"No you're not."

"What?"

Sol bit her lip. "You're sad, like me. Because I've been in this dreary mood for so long. I don't mean to make you unhappy."

"Don't be silly," he murmured, tilting his head forward and lightly kissing her neck. She shivered and her hands tightened on his. "I wasn't happy until I met you."

She sighed again. "There's nothing left for it," she whispered. "I have to go see her."

Wan stiffened behind her. "Are you… are you sure?" he asked, his voice low and halting.

Sol turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "I thought you'd be happy. You've been trying to get me to come with you since we met," she said with a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"It's not that I don't want you to come," he muttered, grimacing as he struggled to find the right words. Her smile became a bit more sincere when she saw the look on his face, but he didn't notice. "But the past weeks prove that you were right to be cautious. You're much more important than most of the spirits, Sol."

"What? Don't be-"

"I mean it. You've been sad, so the sun hasn't been shining on the world. There have been storms for weeks now, and the people are having a hard time of it. If you were to be killed, they would all die without the light and warmth you provide them," he said thoughtfully.

"I know that," Sol replied, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "But what else can I do? If I continue to be in such a black mood, it will do the people more harm than good. I can't control how the sun shines on their world. It all depends on how I feel, and I can't keep that in check any more than Tui can."

They lapsed into a thoughtful silence. Sol idly stroked her fingers over the backs of Wan's hands. She had become very interested in human hands lately. The way them moved and articulated without her even thinking about it fascinated her. Not to mention how much she could feel through the nerve endings in her fingertips.

She sighed again. Wan was coming to deplore the sound. It meant she was upset, and he felt helpless.

If only he could protect her.

"That's it," he said suddenly. She waited patiently for him to continue. "You could create something- a creature, perhaps- to protect you while you walk the earth." Her head tilted slightly to the side, a gesture he had learned meant she was listening and thinking carefully. "That's within your power to do, isn't it?"

She nodded. "Yes… that's a good idea," she grinned. "You're a genius." He laughed a bit. "But what should I create?"

They fell silent again, thinking. "Something that represents the sun," Wan said slowly. "Something strong and solemn."

Sol snapped her fingers and sat up. "Oh, I have an idea." She got to her feet and grabbed Wan's hands, pulling him up beside her. "Come with me." And she ran off, dragging Wan behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

_Let's learn about star spirits, woo!_

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CHAPTER 3

Despite his questions, Sol refused to tell Wan where she was taking him. He figured it out quickly enough, though, since he walked her there himself every evening. Wan had never actually been inside Sol's home in the clouds. Each spirit had a dwelling place of his or her own. Wan's was the library, while Sol, her sister La, and the spirits of all the stars lived in a temple in the clouds.

Wan stopped once they reached the entrance, a long staircase made of clear glass.

"Wait, Sol, I'm really not supposed to go up there," he muttered nervously.

Sol looked at him, confused. "Why not?"

"The stars live up there," he said, embarrassed. "They don't like me."

"What are you talking about? Have you ever met any of the stars?"

"Not technically… but whenever I see them they completely ignore me."

Sol laughed at this, and Wan couldn't help but smile.

"Wan, stars ignore everyone," she said lightly. "That's sort of their job. They just watch passively from the sky. They aren't supposed to interfere with the affairs of anyone, be they spirit or mortal."

"Oh. You'd think I'd know that."

Sol laughed again and took his hand again. "Come on."

She guided him up the stairs and into the temple, a huge space with walls and pillars made of clouds. Her space was at the very top, on the roof. She used to live there with her sister, but now it was just Sol up there by herself.

The place was covered in stacks of scrolls and books. Wan let her borrow whatever she wanted, so she always had something to read. She instructed him to sit down in an empty space of floor, soft and white but able to hold his weight. She started taking different types of clouds from all around her home, gathering them together in two separate masses.

"Here, you hold this one," she said distractedly, pushing the cloud sculpture into Wan's arms. He looked at it for a moment before returning his gaze to Sol. She was glowing a bit brighter than usual, using her power to give life to the clouds in her arms. The white vapor melted away, giving way to a long, thin creature with shimmering red scales and a clever triangular face. Two wings sprouted from its shoulders and it sneezed the last of the clouds away, releasing a jet of fire from its mouth.

"Wow," Wan said, eyes wide with curiosity. "What is it?"

Sol smiled as the little creature flew slow circles around her and landed on her shoulders, rubbing against her like a cat. "I think I'll call it a dragon," she said thoughtfully, scratching it beneath the chin. Smoke curled from its nostrils.

"A bit small, isn't it?" Wan commented warily.

"It will grow, like everything else in the physical world," she said with a fond smile. "Hong will be this one's name."

"You're making two, then?" Wan asked, holding the other bundle of clouds up to her. She took it from him and began pouring life into it as well.

"Of course, you think I'd let you run around with me without any protection?"

Wan laughed, shaking his head a bit. She always managed to surprise him.

The second dragon was different from the first. Its scaled were deep blue, and it instantly proved itself to be a bit calmer than the first. It curled up in Sol's arms, content to lie there and lick its claws with a long, forked tongue.

"And this one is Lan," Sol said officiously. She looked up at Wan, her eyes sparkling. "What do you think?"

"They're amazing!" Wan burst out as he got to his feet. He approached her and patted Lan on the head. It made a sound in its throat, a content little growl. "I'll have to write about them. They breathe fire?"

Sol nodded, laughing lightly when Hong nudged Wan's hand with his head, clearly demanding attention. "They'll protect us as long as we care for them."

"You're a genius," Wan replied, smiling. She leaned up toward him and kissed him softly on the lips. Lan grunted in discomfort, clearly displeased with being stuck between them. They both laughed as Hong curled up on top of Wan's head. "So… tomorrow, you'll come with me?"

Sol just smiled and nodded. "Of course," she paused for a moment, looking down at Lan. "But we have to be careful. We can't let Shangdi find out."

"We won't, I promise."

0000000

Night was falling on the world below, and the stars began to come out, leaving the temple to wander around the Spirit World. They slept all day and came out at night, except for one. Zhenai, the Evening Star, never seemed to sleep. Wan had only seen her twice, as she didn't wander from the temple very often.

The two of them sat on the roof, playing with the young dragons and watching the stars streaming out of the temple.

"I suppose I should go," Wan said quietly, getting to his feet and turning toward the stairs to descend from the roof. "It's getting late."

He hadn't moved two steps before Sol's hand caught his. "Don't."

He turned and looked at her, confused. She was blushing and looking away from him, though her glow was fading as night fell.

"Don't?" he repeated quietly.

She swallowed hard and squeezed his hand, looking at her feet. "Don't go," she said, her voice small.

"You want me to stay all night?" he asked, stepping toward her and taking both of her hands in his, trying to get her to look at him. She just nodded, embarrassed. "I don't know… if Shangdi finds out…"

"I don't care," she cut him off, and suddenly he realized she was about to cry. "Please, stay with me."

"Sol…"

She finally looked up at him, tears sparkling in her eyes, and she held out her arms. He stepped into her embrace without hesitation, folding her into his arms and letting her cry into his chest. Her shoulders shook with her sobs, and he just held her tighter.

"I don't want to be alone," she murmured into his chest. "Every night you walk me home and then you leave me here… I can't do it anymore. Please, stay."

"Of course," Wan replied instantly, kissing the top of her head over and over and whispering comfort to her. "I'll stay, whenever you want I'll stay."

She let out another sob, her fists clenching in his robes, and he remembered something her sister told him.

"Sol is strong and she burns bright, but she is broken easily by things close to her heart."

"I love you," he whispered.

Her tears finally stopped and she smiled a bit. "I love you too."

"Come on," he said quietly. "Let's go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

They lied down together on the floor made of clouds, soft and quiet. Wan lied on his back, Sol curled up at his side with one hand on his chest. She drifted off quickly, comforted by his presence. Hong and Lan curled up together by Sol's feet.

Wan wondered if they would be enough. He didn't sleep that night.

0000000

Dawn was approaching and Sol had rolled away from Wan in her sleep. He sat up, watching her. He knew it was a bit weird that he was just sitting there, watching her sleep, but he was worried. She would finally accompany him to the physical world today, what he'd been waiting for so long, but now all he could do was wonder what he would do if something happened to her.

He sighed heavily, the sound seeming overly loud in the silent morning. But then he heard something. Someone was walking up the glass steps into the temple. Wan got to his feet and moved quietly over to the edge of the roof, looking down.

There was a young spirit halfway up the stairs. Wan even recognized him from this height. It was Xian, Shangdi's only son. He paused near the top of the steps, looking into the temple. Wan wondered what he was doing. Xian was an undetermined spirit. His father hadn't chosen what he would preside over yet. Wan didn't know a lot about him, but he knew Shangdi didn't like him wandering around on his own. Wan smiled a bit, feeling a sense of kinship with Xian. Wan didn't really listen to Shangdi either, after all.

"Xian?"

Wan nearly jumped out of his skin and ducked behind the edge of the roof at the sound of someone's voice. A spirit was coming out of the temple to meet him, and she radiated a pale silver light when they embraced. It was Zhenai, the Evening Star. Wan smiled faintly in surprise when the two of them kissed. Xian was grinning when he spun the young star in a circle and she let out a delighted laugh.

Wan had never heard a star laugh before, so it was a surprise when she did. He'd never heard of a star being in any kind of relationship. Like Sol had said, they were supposed to be watchers, uninvolved in the affairs of the spirits and the mortals alike. But this star had broken the rules.

The two of them crept into the temple, hand in hand, and vanished from Wan's line of sight. He sighed a bit and returned to Sol's side. He hoped for their sake Shangdi didn't find out.

"Wan?"

Sol woke up as Wan sat back down beside her. She yawned and sat up, stretching her arms over her head. Wan smiled and gathered her into his arms, dropping a kiss on her lips.

"How long have you been awake?" Sol asked quietly, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying a few feathery kisses of her own on his mouth.

"Not long," he lied. "I just saw Xian and Zhenai."

"Oh," Sol giggled a bit, and the first rays of sun started to shine off of her. "They've been seeing each other in secret for a little while now."

"I thought stars didn't interfere," Wan smiled at her, rubbing his nose against hers.

She laughed again, blushing, and she glowed bright. "Well apparently Zhenai doesn't seem bothered by that," she sighed, burying her face in the space between his neck and shoulder. "They're in love, you know. Like Tui and La."

"And you and me."

She grinned, closing her eyes comfortably. "Hm," she hummed in agreement. Then she was silent for a bit as he held her close. "Thank you. For… staying with me."

"You don't have to thank me," he replied lightly, smiling fondly. "Looks like Hong and Lan are waking up."

She turned away from his neck for a moment and glanced over her shoulder, where the two little dragons were rousing themselves from their first night of sleep.

"They've grown," Sol commented lightly with a smile.

Wan was surprised to find she was right. They had already doubled in size, each one four feet long. He got to his feet, picking Sol up in his arms as he did. She laughed, and the two dragons looked up at her. They both jumped into the air, circling around them and spitting fire.

"Should we go?" Wan asked gently.

Sol met his eyes and smiled, laying a hand on his cheek. "Yeah, let's go."

He set her on her feet beside him and took her hand tightly in his. Without a sound, they and their dragons faded from the Spirit World.

0000000

The first thing Wan was aware of was Sol gasping beside him. He turned to her, alarmed, and found her kneeling in the snow.

"So this is snow," she whispered in wonder, scooping some into her hand. She shivered. "Wow, you described it to me but it's just not the same as actually feeling it!"

He laughed and stepped behind her, lifting her back to her feet. "You can't just sit down in the snow, you'll freeze."

"I suppose it is kind of cold…"

Then she saw the city for the first time. She gasped again, her eyes wide. It was a long time before Wan got her to start moving, she was so wrapped up in what she was seeing and feeling. She waxed eloquent about how beautiful everything was, the sights and the smells and the sounds that overwhelmed her. She clung tightly to Wan's hand as though afraid she'd burst and fly in all directions if she let him go, nervous and excited like a mortal child.

Meanwhile, Hong and Lan floated along just behind them, looking around curiously but keeping careful watch over the two spirits.

They passed between the walls of the city, now towering over them. The people started poking their heads out of building, drawn by the golden light radiating from Sol's body and the two flying creatures with them. They all knew Wan, and a few greeted him curiously. He asked where to find Tui and La, but Sol seemed to know where she was going.

"She's this way," she said urgently, pulling on Wan's hand and leading him deeper into the city. They came quite suddenly to a place that didn't seem to blend in with the landscape. A huge canyon of ice rose up before them, a waterfall plunging down from the heights. A lake formed at its base. The ground was lush with grass instead of ice and snow, and plant life sprang from a small island in the center of the lake, reached by two wooden bridges. A wooden gate stood behind a small, round pool in the middle of the island.

And sitting on the island in the sun warmed grass, were Tui and La.

Sol let out a wordless cry and ran forward, leaving Wan behind. Tui and La both looked up in surprise. La's eyes widened and she bit back an exclamation of her own, racing to meet her sister. The two of them met on the shore of the small lake, laughing and crying in equal measure as they embraced. They seemed to be communicating somehow, speaking in short, frantic sentences to express how much they had missed each other, but Wan couldn't understand a word they were saying as they were talking so fast.

Up above, the clouds parted and the sun blazed overhead, burning off the morning mist and warming the earth.

Wan quietly joined Tui on the island, both dragons settling down on the grass in front of him. They let the sisters catch up without disturbing them.

"While you're here, you should take Sol to the island nation in the west," Tui said quietly, scratching Lan beneath the chin. "They worship the sun, you know. They'd love to meet her."

Wan smiled, his gaze fixed on Sol, who was sitting on the lakeshore with her sister, laughing. "Yeah, you're right," he said lightly. "I bet she'd like that, it's warm there."

It was hours before the sisters joined them on the small island, and the four of them talked for a long while after that. Before they parted ways, Sol promised she would come visit again. It was a fond farewell, and Sol was in much better spirits when Wan took her hand and they vanished.

But they didn't reappear in the Spirit World, as Sol had expected. Instead, they were standing outside a city made of stone deep within a jungle in the foothills of a mountain range.

Sol looked around in wonder as people started emerging from the city. They looked very different from the people at the North Pole. They wore brightly colored clothes walked barefoot on the warm earth. One man stepped forward and bowed to Wan. He was wearing long robes and an elaborate headdress, carrying a tall staff in his hand.

"Wan Shi Ton, the Knowledge Spirit," he said reverently. "You have not visited our people for some time."

"It's good to see you again, Chief," Wan said with a smile. "I've brought someone to meet you." He turned to Sol. She was still looking around curiously, Hong resting on her shoulders and Lan in her arms, just like when they were first created. Though this time they had a bit more trouble of it, since they had grown so much since then. Wan took her hand and gently pulled her beside him, an excited smile on his face. "Sol, these are the Sun People."


	4. Chapter 4

_And that's why they call me the zinger._

* * *

CHAPTER 4

Sol blinked in surprise. "The Sun People?" she repeated. Wan nodded, grinning. They were all looking at her curiously, and she felt herself blushing a bit, her glow intensifying.

"You have brought another spirit with you?" the Chief asked, giving Sol a friendly smile and bowing.

"Chief, this is Sol," Wan replied, squeezing Sol's hand. "The Sun Spirit."

A gasp rippled through the crowd of people, and a smile broke over the chief's face. He knelt and bowed at Sol's feet, and the rest of the people all did the same behind him. Sol was a bit overwhelmed and she clutched Wan's hand tighter.

"You honor us with your presence, Great One," the chief said reverently.

"Oh, my," Sol replied, flustered. "Please, you don't have to call me Great One. Just call me Sol." She paused, and Wan gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You can get up, too."

The Chief laughed as he got back to his feet. "You are modest, Sol," he said, bowing his head. "Your light and warmth give us life, and for that we are grateful."

Nobody said anything for a few long moments. Wan leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Give them a blessing or something."

She glanced at him. "A blessing? I've never given a blessing before, what am I supposed to-"

But she stopped when Hong and Lan approached the chief curiously. Lan balanced on the top of his staff and snorted, smoke furling from his nostrils. The Chief held out his arm for Hong, who landed on it and sniffed his headdress. He laughed, delighted.

"What are these extraordinary creatures?" he asked. Lan sneezed a jet of flame, and the crowd gasped in excitement.

"Oh, these are dragons," Sol said with a smile, glad for a topic to grasp onto. "I created them to guard me when I walk the earth. Chief, meet Hong and Lan."

The Chief bowed his head to each of them in turn. "An honor, dragons."

Sol snapped her fingers, excitement lighting her eyes. "That's it! I'll leave the dragons as my blessing," she said proudly, grinning at Wan. The crowd murmured in wonder. Wan smiled at her.

"I like the idea," he said with a nod. "As long as they accompany us whenever we walk the earth."

"Of course!" the Chief burst out, bowing low. "We are honored to receive your blessing, Sun Spirit. We shall care for Hong and Lan as well as we can."

Sol nodded her approval. "Good." She glanced around again, wondering at the architecture. "You've done a great job with this city."

"All for your favor," the Chief responded.

Sol frowned a bit. "Well I appreciate that and everything, but you should take individual pride in this as a culture, not just dedicate it to me," she said firmly. "You have accomplished much and built a civilization from nothing, so hold your heads high and know the Sun Spirit is honored by your ingenuity."

The Sun People cheered and Sol smiled. Wan beamed at her.

"Thank you for the warm welcome," he said to the Chief.

"Of course. You are always welcome here!"

Wan took Sol's hand and they disappeared, leaving the Sun People in awe.

0000000

They spent the rest of the day lounging in Wan's library. Sol was in particularly good spirits, which made Wan's mood improve considerably as well. They talked and laughed for hours, Sol providing what information she could as he scribbled notes about dragons.

"You're not going to miss having them around?" Wan asked as he carefully drew a picture of Hong on the bottom of a scroll with bright red ink.

Sol shrugged a bit, her chin resting on the top of Wan's head as she stood behind him and watched him work.

"They're in good hands," she replied, a smile in her voice. She placed her hands lightly on his shoulders, idly drumming her fingers. She hummed a bit, fingers trailing down his arms. He sneezed.

"Why do you do that?" she asked curiously.

"Do what?"

"Make that noise. That um… achoo noise."

"Oh, I sneezed."

"Sneezed?"

"You've never sneezed?"

"No. Should I have?"

Wan laughed. "It's just a human thing. When something irritates their noses, they sneeze."

"Oh. But you do it when you're nervous."

He paused, blushing. "What?"

He could hear her grinning. "Don't think I haven't noticed," she teased. "You sneeze when you're nervous."

She kept prodding him, both with her words and her fingers, until he sneezed again. She burst out laughing, shining so bright he had to close his eyes despite her being behind him.

"Oh quit making fun of me," he grumbled, finishing his dragon picture with a flourish.

"I'm not," she giggled. "It's just so sweet, all the little things you do." She draped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his head again. "Like how you write with your left hand. Most of the mortals write with their right hands."

"Yeah, I still haven't figured that out," he admitted, examining his left hand.

"And your ears turn red when you blush."

"We can't all just glow, can we?"

She giggled again, then quieted for a moment and sighed. "You know I love you, right?"

She felt him relax and heard the grin in his voice when he replied, "As well as you know I love you."

Suddenly she moved away from him, and he looked around in bewilderment, but she was just moving around in front of him to plop down in his lap. She met his eyes shyly and brushed her fingers over his cheek.

"Thank you for taking me to see my sister," she said quietly.

He just gave her a smile in return.

0000000

"It's getting late, let me walk you home."

"Okay. Will you um…"

Sol paused, embarrassed, as they walked out of the library many weeks later. Wan glanced at her and took her hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Would you mind if I stay the night?" Wan asked with a smile.

She squeezed his hand gratefully. "Please."

For some reason, Sol was still embarrassed to ask Wan to stay with her even though he'd been doing it every day for nearly a month. Meanwhile, life in the physical world was whizzing by. The mortals were growing and changing rapidly in the eyes of the spirits, but time moved differently between their worlds. The Spirit World was everlasting, so time wasn't such an issue. A day could be a week for the physical world, or a month, or a decade.

The city at the North Pole had grown to great size. The waterbenders, as they were now called, put forth all their skill and creativity to finish it. Hong and Lan were growing rapidly under the care of the Sun People. They were positively huge and flew over the land at great speeds. They'd also learned to communicate with the people through their minds, not so much in words as images or impressions of things. They became the father and mother of an entire species, and soon dragons were spreading peacefully across the western islands.

Not only that, but Vayu, the Wind Spirit, had seen what Sol gave to the Sun People and thought it was a wonderful idea. He created a pair of animals called sky bison, big furry creatures with six legs that flew through the sky. Not to be outdone, the Mountain Spirit, Yama, created equally large and furry creatures called badger moles. They lived underground and burrowed through mountains.

These gifts had been kept secret from Shangdi, and he and the rest of the spirits failed to notice the people in the west slowly learning from the dragons.

Wan and Sol passed Xian on their way into the cloud temple. He was rarely seen outside his human form these days, though it displeased his father. He modeled himself after the nomadic people, with fair skin and brown hair. He shared Wan's fascination with mortals and delighted in the use of fingers and toes. But this evening he looked a bit nervous. Wan and Sol paused beside him at the foot of the glass stairs.

"Is something wrong, Xian?" Sol asked gently, smiling at him.

Xian sighed and looked down, shuffling his feet. "Thank you for your concern, Sol, but it's nothing," he muttered. The two of them just gave him a look, communicating that they clearly didn't believe him, and he sighed again. "I guess I'm just getting restless, being an undetermined spirit. My father refuses to give me something to preside over, says I'm not old enough to handle the responsibility."

Wan put a friendly hand on Xian's shoulder. "Don't worry about it too much, Xian," he said firmly. "He can't refuse forever. And besides, if you stand around here all night, I know a certain spirit who would be very disappointed."

Xian blushed, embarrassed, but he smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Wan."

The three of them climbed the stairs together, Wan and Sol still hand in hand. When Zhenai stepped out to meet them at the top, her eyes widened at the sight of the other two spirits. She was in human form as well, with dark skin like the southern tribes and bright blue eyes. She blushed, her silver glow brightening, but Sol just smiled and shook her head.

"We won't tell," she whispered. "Promise."

Zhenai looked at Xian, who was already grinning at the sight of her, and a tentative smile crossed her face. Wan and Sol passed them into the temple, heading for the stairs. Behind them, Xian scooped Zhenai up in his arms and kissed her.

"Ah, young love," Sol sighed dramatically as they climbed the stairs.

Wan laughed and picked her up, eliciting a surprised shriek from her as he ran up the stairs with her slung over his shoulder. He dropped her unceremoniously on the clouds when he reached the top and fell beside her, the two of them laughing in delight.

When they settled down a bit, sol sighed and rolled to look at Wan. She smiled at him. "I want to stay like this forever," she said quietly. Wan looked over at her, grinning.

"Hey, we're immortal," he said lightly. "We will be like this forever."

She beamed at him, glowing brightly. "Love you."

"Love you too."

They drifted off to sleep soon after, Sol curled up in his arms.

0000000

When Wan and Sol woke up the next day, it was with the discovery that the physical world had jumped forward nearly two half a century during their night, and a lot had changed.

Shangdi was not at all happy.

He called all the spirits to a council in his great pavilion, and they didn't leave him waiting. He was angry, all right, pacing up and down in shining, every-changing form. He refused to take human form, but he never settled into a single recognizable form either. He glowed bright white, nearly impossible to look at directly, and every time a spirit caught a good look he was a different creature. A lion, an eagle, a tree, a horse, all in a matter of seconds. It was a bit distracting, but his voice boomed out to all of them with inescapable authority.

"The humans have gone to war with each other," he said, his voice low and serious. No one made a sound. "In the central continent, two countries began killing each other over land and territory. Not only that, but a human from each country learned to bend the earth from creatures called badger moles."

Wan glanced surreptitiously at Yama, but she didn't flinch.

"The war there is escalating, and it will soon come to a head. Many lives have been lost, and this trend will no doubt continue. But my news gets more and more serious."

Shangdi stopped pacing, facing the room at large. He was a bear for a moment, then a gorilla, then a hawk.

"Shortly after the earthbenders emerged, the peoples now calling themselves the Fire Nation came to my attention."

Wan and Sol exchanged a look, confused. They'd never heard of the Fire Nation. Judging by the confused whispers around them, nobody else had either.

"They broke off from the Sun People in the western islands."

Sol's eyes widened, and her glow dimmed.

"And now they are showing signs of hostility toward the Water Tribe in the north. They have learned from the flying dragons how to bend fire."

Wan could see the shock in Sol's eyes. She had never meant for that to happen. She squeezed his hand, suddenly afraid. Her sister had been banished for the same offense. Wan swallowed hard.

"And then there is the matter of the flying bison."

Vayu, unlike Yama, flinched. Shangdi either didn't notice, or didn't care.

"The nomadic people, perhaps the only trustworthy humans left, have decided to separate themselves from the others. They have learned from the bison the bend the air, and they have retreated to the highest mountains in the four corners of the world to study in peace."

Vayu let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"But even as I speak, the firebenders are preparing to attack the waterbenders. The first earthbender has just been killed, and his lover has unleashed her earthbending upon both armies."

Muttering broke out among the spirits. Shangdi had clearly devoted some of his power to keeping an eye on the humans, even when he wasn't actively watching. Events below were spiraling out of control.

But then Shangdi paused, his form holding as a stag for a moment. He seemed surprised.

"She has ended the war," he said, perplexed. Yama smiled with grim satisfaction. Shangdi sighed. "The humans continue to surprise me. But I am still deeply concerned. Some among you have created these creatures without my consent, and because of that the humans are getting out of control."

Then he paused again, and looked straight at Sol. She froze.

"The only solution to this is punishment."


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone,

I'm sorry to tell you that I won't be writing anymore. Please check my livejournal (lyralocke (dot) livejournal (dot) com) for an explanation. I really appreciate all the reviews, good and bad, and I'm glad you've enjoyed reading what I wrote.

All the best,

Lyra


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